Quick answer: The House in Distress is the main Contain the Crisis mission after Recursions and Iterations. Midway it requires Jesse Sightings: The Underpass Fault before the Oldest House Fault appears. After the Fault, restore Interactions Lab power with Electrokinesis (three 3×3 patterns), then follow Perfect tape → High Risk Chamber duct → P6 cell → Director Training Hiss → Main Test Chamber V-E2 TV → Oldest House Fault ritual. Completing the Fault Rituals chain awards Sibling Reunion, a Living Shard, and completes Notes: Jesse Sightings.
When does The House in Distress start?
The House in Distress opens as the next main Contain the Crisis beat after you finish Recursions and Iterations. It routes through Oldest House Central Executive. Follow Zoe Clearance 18 into Prime Candidate Training, then Main Observation. The Fault objective for this House stretch is not available in Main Observation until Jesse Sightings: The Underpass Fault is done — treat that Sighting as a hard gate, not optional flavor.
How do you clear Jesse Sightings: The Underpass Fault?
From the Underpass Spire, reach the orange pipes island and enter the Fault. Inside you will see memory monoliths and Guide Light-Projected Children. Help Jesse Complete Ritual to finish the Sighting. Confirmed reward: +1 Living Shard (AllThingsHow also lists a Talent Point with that Living Shard). Full Fault framing stays on faults; the quest that lands you here is covered on Recursions and Iterations.
How does the Interactions Lab Electrokinesis Test work?
After the Underpass Fault, House in Distress returns you to Interactions Lab power work: move charge from a live Power Core to a dead core by the Electrokinesis Test door. The Electrokinesis puzzle is a 3×3 grid with three sequential patterns. Screens turn green and the line “Test number 82: Success!” confirms each clear.
| Pattern | Lit cells (3×3) |
|---|---|
| 1 — Triangle | Top-left, top-right, bottom-middle |
| 2 — Four corners | All four corner cells |
| 3 — Cross | Top-middle, mid-left, center, mid-right, bottom-middle |
What is the path after Electrokinesis success?
Confirmed chain after the Test: Perfect tape, High Risk Chamber duct, P6 cell conversation, Director Training Hiss, then Main Test Chamber V-E2 TV that starts the Oldest House Fault ritual. Interacting with the Board warning TV can show “Stop/Cease/Turn Back” — recorded flavor on that interact, not a separate soft-lock.
What do you get for finishing the Fault Rituals?
Completing the Fault Rituals chain grants the Sibling Reunion trophy, a Living Shard, and completes Notes: Jesse Sightings. Keep that reward set separate from Underpass Resonant combat ability picks on The Physicist. Mission-list placement lives on missions. Assist Mode context for tough Hiss stretches is on difficulty settings.
House in Distress checklist (facts only)
- Main Contain the Crisis after Recursions and Iterations
- Central Executive → Zoe Clearance 18 → Prime Candidate Training → Main Observation
- Gate: Jesse Sightings Underpass Fault (Spire → orange pipes island)
- Electrokinesis: three 3×3 patterns; “Test number 82: Success!”
- Perfect tape → High Risk Chamber duct → P6 → Director Training → V-E2 TV ritual
- Sibling Reunion + Living Shard; Jesse Sightings Notes complete
Why is Main Observation empty of the Fault until Underpass Fault?
Players who rush Central Executive after Recursions and Iterations often reach Main Observation and expect the Oldest House Fault to be waiting. Confirmed routing says it is not: Jesse Sightings: The Underpass Fault must finish first. Treat empty Main Observation as a gate signal, then leave for Spire → orange pipes island rather than hunting an alternate House Fault entrance that this dossier does not document.
Electrokinesis pattern FAQ
Pattern 1 is a triangle using top-left, top-right, and bottom-middle. Pattern 2 lights all four corners. Pattern 3 is a plus/cross: top-middle, mid-left, center, mid-right, bottom-middle. After each correct pattern the screens go green and the success string “Test number 82: Success!” appears. If screens stay dark, re-check cell positions before assuming a soft-lock — the confirmed solve is those three grids only.
How do Living Shard rewards stack on this path?
Underpass Fault completion awards +1 Living Shard (AllThingsHow also lists a Talent Point with that Living Shard). Completing the later Fault Rituals chain awards another Living Shard alongside Sibling Reunion and Notes: Jesse Sightings completion. Keep those Shard grants separate from Underpass Resonant combat ability choices on The Physicist page so reward trackers do not merge House ritual payouts with Spike / Astral Rebuke.
Board TV interact language “Stop/Cease/Turn Back” is confirmed flavor on that Main Test Chamber path interact. It is not documented here as a branching fail state that cancels Sibling Reunion. Continue Perfect tape → High Risk Chamber duct → P6 cell conversation → Director Training Hiss → V-E2 TV ritual in that order.
This dossier stays on confirmed House in Distress routing, Fault gating, Electrokinesis patterns, and ritual rewards. It does not invent cell IDs beyond P6 / V-E2 as listed, alternate pattern grids, or unstated Board dialogue branches.
Related: Recursions and Iterations · faults · missions · The Physicist · difficulty settings.